Dec 27 What I'm Looking Forward to in 2019

I tend to look ahead, not in pleasant anticipation of something good but because I want to be prepared. To avoid the Debbie Downer residue that might linger, it’s a good practice for me to look into the future for the singular purpose of noticing the fun rather than preparing for what might go wrong. Maybe the same is true for you.

Here’s my list of things I’m looking forward to in 2019, and while I hope it’s fun to read, I ultimately hope it encourages you to name the things you’re looking forward to in your own life and year. Let’s get to it.

What I’m Looking Forward To In 2019

1. Writing a book.

Y’all. Did you know this yet? I’m writing a book. I announced it in The Latest Lazy Letter (which you can subscribe to here), and maybe you’ve heard whispers on Instagram. But we whisper no more! A book is coming! Two actually, but we won’t worry that I signed a contract for two books and have no idea what that second book is going to be. It’s fine it’s fine I’M NOT WORRIED STOP ASKING.

The book won’t release until Summer 2020, but the actual words are due in May. Guess what I’ll be doing the first half of 2019? Writing an actual human book that can be held in your human hands. Y’all. I’m equal parts terrified and stoked. Mostly stoked. Virtually hold me when I’m terrified, please.

SO. LOOKING. FORWARD. TO. THIS.

2. Weekends with girlfriends.

Making friends is weird, isn’t it? We see friend groups and wonder how we can get into one. We see families go on vacation together and wonder how we can go, too. We wonder if it’s weird to be 35 and not have a best friend.

I’m doing a podcast episode on girl weekends pretty soon, but let me say this: girlfriend weekends don’t just happen. Neither do friendships. You have to be weird and have a lot of shallow conversations before you feel comfortable to have deep ones. It might feel enormously vulnerable to ask your new friends if they want to get a hotel room in the next town over and go away for 24 hours, but then you do it and it’s not. Hallelujah.

Over the next three months, I’m going on two different girlfriend weekends. All are friends I’ve made in the last ten years, some in the last two. You might get together with college girlfriends or cousins you used to spend summers with or women you’ve only just met. Or you might long for a girlfriend weekend and feel like it’s just not for you.

Be the one to ask. We all just want to be seen and accepted for who are, and you can definitely go first. I’m glad my friends went first five years ago and just last month to make these two weekends happen.

3. Reading on purpose.

I love to read. If you’re interested, here are my favorite books from 2018 and 2016. Apparently, 2017 got left behind list-wise. I have an entire bookshelf full of books I want to read, and I’m excited to be more intentional about them this year. I’m not sure what it’ll look like, but I know that I’m going to stick with reading practices that help me read more - a book by my bed, a book in the kitchen, a book on the Kindle, and no more than that. If I have more than three books going at once, I stop reading. I’m also going to be diabolical in quitting books I don’t dig; I’m fine quitting, but sometimes I wait too long. Relentless quitting this year, man.

P.S. Having just a handful of books I know I’m going to pick up next is a great way to help me - and you - read on purpose. Go choose a couple for yourself now!

4. Watching The Good Place.

I’ve whined about this before, but my TV-watching life alongside my husband is fleeting on the best days. Our last kid is in bed around 8:30/45pm, and I follow an hour later. We can’t exactly binge anything.

We’ve been making our way through Veep for months and love it but can’t start another half hour comedy until it’s over. The Good Place has been patiently waiting in the wings for so long, and I’m seriously excited about finally watching it since we’re almost done with the magic of Veep.

(It’s also incredibly mature magic. Be warned if you’re not into super offensive language.)

5. A giant family reunion.

My step-dad is one of six kids, all of them have 2-6 kids, and a ton of their kids (including me) have 2-6 kids. I haven’t done the exact math, but when we all get together for the first time in over a decade, we’ll definitely clock in at well over 100 people. Nametags will be required, and I’m so excited. We’re spending an entire week this summer introducing our kids to our cousins, hopefully playing a lot of Spades, and feeling exceptionally old. I can’t wait.

6. Baking hard stuff.

Y’all know that baking is my lifeblood, but since time is usually limited, my bakes are mostly cookies and cakes, i.e. stuff I can do without thinking. This year, I want to think more when it comes to baking. Pastries with a ton of layers, bread that isn’t just white, and desserts with a million elements. I have a feeling that whole book writing situation is going to be my head spin in new ways, so leaning into baking is going to be a big part of my self-care this year.

7. Spending more time with you.

I mean that genuinely and hopefully literally. I’ve been talking a lot with my masterminds and my team about what this next year is going to look like for The Lazy Genius Collective, and the thing at the center of it all is connection. I’m excited to keep hanging out on Instagram, in the Facebook group, and hopefully in other ways, too. Those other ways are still fuzzy, but once they come into focus, I think we’ll all be stoked about them. Stay tuned, but in the meantime, know how much I value connecting with you and creating ways for you to connect with each other.

Lazy Geniuses are the best around, and I’m so excited for another year together.